Normally in software development, Beta means you are testing. You DO NOT put in front of the actual public to test and use. You have a controlled group of people who actually know what the product is supposed to be and do, and they tell you where they find issues. When all, or at least most, of the issues are resolved, you then go live and allow the public to use it.

I understand he's still extremely productive but he's 32 turning 33 with $28mil in base over the next 3 years. I wonder how much it would actually take to get him. Highly doubt a 1st or even a 2nd given age and contract

Normally in software development, Beta means you are testing. You DO NOT put in front of the actual public to test and use. You have a controlled group of people who actually know what the product is supposed to be and do, and they tell you where they find issues. When all, or at least most, of the issues are resolved, you then go live and allow the public to use it.

Problem with most of these 'dreams' is that the typical big contract that gets signed has a) a huge signing bonus that gets prorated, but if the player is traded hits the original team in a lump sum dead money cap hit the next year, and b) the last couple of years are huge money (not guaranteed) to make the total contract look great on paper.

A) make it almost prohibitive to trade a star until the last year of his contract for the trading team. And the team getting the player has to be able to pre negotiate the next contract - never easy - on top of giving up good value on return.

However, hell yeah I would want Andre Johnson on this team, but it would't make any sense financially or with draft picks needed to be traded. It seems like we are going into this season with the same offensive weapons as last year, which is a whole other topic to lament about.

Problem with most of these 'dreams' is that the typical big contract that gets signed has a) a huge signing bonus that gets prorated, but if the player is traded hits the original team in a lump sum dead money cap hit the next year, and b) the last couple of years are huge money (not guaranteed) to make the total contract look great on paper.

A) make it almost prohibitive to trade a star until the last year of his contract for the trading team. And the team getting the player has to be able to pre negotiate the next contract - never easy - on top of giving up good value on return.

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Normally I'd agree but Hou has space to handle the dead money this year and since they are in a rebuilding year this would actually be a good year to trade if him they want to to free up almost $29mil over the next couple years.